Integrated environmental control systems and methods for controlling environmental temperature of an enclosed space

ABSTRACT

Environmental control systems and methods to control environmental temperature of an enclosed space by integrating a passive heat exchange subsystem (e.g., a loop heat pipe (LHP) heat exchange subsystem) having a closed loop heat exchange fluid circuit in heat-exchange relationship with the enclosed space for providing environmental temperature control therewithin, a RAM-air subsystem having a RAM-air circuit for circulating RAM cooling air, and a vapor compression cycle machine (VCM) subsystem having a VCM fluid circuit having a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser and an expansion valve.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims domestic priority benefits under 35 USC §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/581,378 filed on Dec. 29, 2011, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated hereinto by reference.

FIELD

The embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to the environmental control and thermal management (e.g., heating, cooling) of compartments/enclosures (e.g., within an aircraft fuselage) using an integrated architecture of environmental control systems, such as heat pipes, skin heat exchangers and/or vapor compression cycle systems. Embodiments of the methods and systems disclosed herein enable aircraft compartments/enclosures to be cooled with minimal aircraft power consumption (ultimately, minimal aircraft fuel consumption) demand during various phases of aircraft operation.

BACKGROUND

The concepts of future generation aircraft systems tend to demand an increase in electric power consumption. As a consequence, these systems will require the dissipation of more heat per volume. The increase in heat dissipation and the recent requirements to reduce aircraft fuel consumption conflict with one another and thus require the advent of more efficient cooling systems.

Currently, aircraft compartments/enclosures (electronic bays, galleys and the like) are provided with cooling systems that are commonly based on air cycle and/or vapor cycle systems and are not optimized in terms of the fuel penalty that such systems may extract on the overall aircraft performance. Thus, the higher the cooling requirement, the higher the cooling system power consumption and, as a consequence, the higher the aircraft fuel consumption. These cooling systems operate during all phases of the flight, including when the aircraft is on ground.

However, a dramatically large heat rejection potential exists when an aircraft is in flight due to the significant temperature difference between outside air (heat sink) and the specific compartments/enclosures/equipment being cooled. In order to develop more efficient cooling systems, there is a need to minimize the thermal resistance between the equipment and the heat sink.

Recently, a more efficient cooling system has been proposed by US Published Application No. 2004/0159119 (incorporated fully by reference herein) that mainly includes a liquid loop, a eutectic thermal battery and heat pump and skin heat exchanger (SHX). Similarly, US Published Application No. 2007/0095521 (incorporated fully by reference herein) mainly proposes the combination of loop heat pipe (LHP), cold storage unit and SHX.

There are several problems to be solved before greater fuel efficiencies can be fully realized. For example, current technologies lack a smart management of the available heat sinks for a compartment/enclosure cooling, causing more fuel consumption (fuel penalty over the aircraft performance) than is necessary, since the availability of heat sinks is not sufficiently used. For instance, sometimes a vapor compression cycle machine (VCM) needs to be used to cool electronic equipment inside the cabin, in spite of the cool air already available outside of the in-flight aircraft.

In addition, there currently is a lack of flexibility for use of the available heat sinks. By way of example, one electronic box cannot be installed in a predetermined compartment/enclosure because the outside air heat sink is located to far of a distance from that compartment/enclosure.

Furthermore, high thermal resistance between the compartment/enclosure (heat load) and the heat sink typically exists. This high thermal resistance requires active cooling systems (heat pumps) even when the temperature of the heat load is higher than the temperature of the heat sink. This effect happens most of the time during an aircraft mission. LHP's and other phase change passive heat transmission devices can be useful to diminish this thermal resistance.

It is therefore towards providing solutions to such problems that the embodiments of the present invention are directed.

SUMMARY

The disclosed embodiments herein are provided so as to achieve the goal of removing heat from a compartment/enclosure while minimizing the fuel penalty over the entire aircraft operation by using the features to be discussed in greater detail below. Additionally the heat removed from one compartment/enclosure may also be used as heat source for another compartment/enclosure. It may also be used for heating of an internal or external surface of the aircraft, as may be required for thermal management or ice and atmospheric protection. Generally, the embodiments as disclosed herein integrate various environmental control systems, such as heat pipes and skin heat exchangers, to minimize thermal resistance and reduce system power consumption.

According to some embodiments, a combination of multiple innovative environmental control components may be employed, for example (1) a loop heat pipe (LHP) condenser integrated with a vapor compression cycle machine (VCM) evaporator, in a single heat exchanger, and (2) a compact skin heat exchanger (SHX) embedded into a duct that is equipped with a ground cooling fan.

A system is also provided according to some embodiments for cooling a compartment/enclosure using a smart integration among different technologies for heat transport and heat sinks (VCM, SHX, LHP, RAM-air with ground cooling fan) and a proper operational logic, comprised of a hybrid system capable to operate with less power consumption over an entire aircraft mission, taking advantage from any one of the technologies being applied.

According to some embodiments, environmental control systems and methods are provided which control environmental temperature of an enclosed space by integrating a loop heat pipe (LHP) heat exchange subsystem having a closed loop heat exchange fluid circuit in heat-exchange relationship with the enclosed space for providing environmental temperature control therewithin, a RAM-air subsystem having a RAM-air circuit for circulating RAM cooling air, and a vapor compression cycle machine (VCM) subsystem having a VCM fluid circuit comprising a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser. The evaporator of the VCM subsystem may thus be integrated with the LHP heat exchange subsystem by being in operative heat-exchange relationship therewith, while the condenser of the VCM subsystem may be integrated with the RAM-air system so as to be in operative heat-exchange relationship therewith.

Some embodiments may include a LHP condenser of the LHP subsystem in operative heat-exchange relationship with the VCM evaporator of the VCM subsystem. The LHP heat exchange subsystem in other embodiments may also be provided with a LHP condenser skin heat exchanger (SHX), and a control valve for directing the working fluid to either the LHP condenser or the LHP condenser SHX.

The RAM-air circuit of certain embodiments may include an air duct having an inlet and an inlet control door for controlling air flow into the duct, and a cooling fan for drawing air into the inlet and through the duct. Other embodiments may be provided with a RAM-air subsystem which comprises an embedded skin heat exchanger (SHX) in operative heat-exchange relationship with the air flow in the duct.

Certain other embodiments may be provided with a LHP heat exchange subsystem having a LHP condenser in operative heat-exchange relationship with the VCM evaporator of the VCM subsystem, and a LHP condenser skin heat exchanger (SHX). A control valve may thus be provided for directing the working heat exchange fluid to either the LHP condenser of the LHP heat exchange subsystem, the LHP condenser SHX of the LHP heat exchange subsystem or the embedded skin heat exchanger SHX of the RAM-air subsystem.

The VCM subsystem may include a VCM condenser skin heat exchanger (SHX) downstream of the VCM condenser. In certain embodiments, the VCM condenser SHX may be in operative heat-exchange relationship with an on-board fluid, such as on-board fuel and/or cabin air. Other embodiments may be provided with a VCM subsystem having a bypass valve to direct the VCM fluid circuit to or bypass the VCM fluid circuit around the VCM condenser SHX.

The heat released by skin heat exchangers may be used for heating an internal or external surface of the aircraft. For example, the heat released by a SHX can be used as sole or complementary ice and rain protection system for the external surface which it constitutes or is part of. Also, this heat can be used to heat door sills, galleys, among other aircraft regions.

These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more clear after careful consideration is given to the following detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof.

ACRONYMS

Structures and systems may sometimes be referenced herein by the following acronyms:

-   -   LHP—loop heat pipe     -   CPL—capillary pumped loop     -   LTS—loop thermosyphon     -   SHX—skin heat exchanger     -   VCM—vapor compression cycle machine     -   E-bay—electronic bay

It will be understood that whenever LHP, CPL, LTS appear hereinbelow, all the possible variants for phase change heat dissipation devices are contemplated such as, for example, conventional heat pipes, thermosyphons, pulsating heat pipes, and the like. Therefore, reference to any specific acronym is non-limiting and merely employed for ease of discussion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The disclosed embodiments of the present invention will be better and more completely understood by referring to the following detailed description of exemplary non-limiting illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a system architecture for cooling a compartment/enclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a LHP/CPL/LTS loop being used to cool the compartment/enclosure, with the SHX being used to cool the LHP condenser;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a RAM-air duct embedded finned skin heat exchanger which may be used to cool the LHP condenser;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are respective side and top views of a RAM-air duct embedded, finned SHX;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a VCM being used to cool the LHP condenser; SHX being used to cool the VCM condenser fluid (NACA air inlet closed);

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a VCM being used to cool the LHP condenser; NACA/RAM-air being used to cool the VCM condenser fluid (NACA air inlet shut off) with a ground cooling fan static operation;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a system embodiment without the SHX being embedded into the RAM-air duct;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a system embodiment without both the SHX for the LHP condenser and the SHX for the VCM condenser; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a system embodiment with a VCM condenser being cooled by other means, such as on board fuel or ambient cabin air.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Many of the details, dimensions, angles and other features shown in the figures of the present patent application are merely illustrative of particular embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments can have other details, dimensions, angles and features, without departing from the spirit or scope of the present inventions.

Several embodiments of innovative systems, as well as their logic of operation, are described hereinbelow as solutions to operate the aircraft with lower fuel consumption.

The architecture associated with one embodiment of an environmental control system 10 is shown schematically in FIG. 1. As is shown the architecture of the environmental control system 10 is comprised of multiple subsystems to dissipate the compartment/enclosure thermal load to the outside air (heat sink), namely the LHP subsystem 12 having an LHP evaporator 26 and a LHP condenser SHX 28 (see explanation of FIG. 2); the subsystem 14 having the internal embedded SHX 30 associated with the RAM-air circuit 20 (see explanation of FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4A-4B); the VCM subsystem 16 having a VCM condenser SHX 42 (see explanation of FIG. 5); and the subsystem 18 having a VCM condenser, conventional compact heat exchanger 40 (see explanation of FIG. 6). The subsystems 14 and 18 depend on RAM air provided by the RAM-air circuit 20, whereas the LHP subsystem 12 is a passive system and the VCM subsystem 16 is an active system. As will be explained in greater detail below, an on-board controller OBC is provided with environmental inputs (e.g., outside air temperature, aircraft velocity and weight on wheels) so as to selectively operate one or more of the subsystems 12, 14, 16 and/or 18 in dependence upon the phase of aircraft operation (e.g., in flight or on ground) and/or the outside aircraft air temperature by selective positioning of the system control valve CV.

The LHP subsystem is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. As shown, the equipment 22 installed in the compartment/enclosure 24 dissipates its thermal load to an LHP evaporator 26, through air or other cooling medium circulating with in the compartment/enclosure 24 (e.g., via circulation fans (not shown)). The compartment/enclosure 24 (represented by the double line boundary around the equipment 22 and the LHP evaporator 26) may be an electronic compartment, galley compartment, baggage, live animal compartment or others. The compartment/enclosure 24 may also be only an electronic box properly equipped with a cold plate slot or surface, being the LHP evaporator part of such a cold plate. The control valve CV to select between one of the LHP condenser/VCM evaporator 43 or the LHP condenser/SHX 28 may or may not be necessary, since in some configurations there is a possibility that the LHP evaporator 26 can select passively the more suitable condenser 28 or 43 (i.e., the coldest condenser). This is the mode of operation for either high altitudes or during a cold-day on ground/low altitude operation. For these cold outside air operational conditions, the LHP condenser/SHX 28 is often enough to dissipate the equipment thermal load.

The mode of operation for subsystem 14 depicted by FIG. 3 is advantageous when outside air is at sufficiently low temperatures, ranging from cold to standard temperature days. The heat removal from the embedded finned SHX 30 will thus function also on the ground by cooling fan 32 airflow inside the duct 30-2 (see FIG. 4) of the RAM-air circuit 20. Heat removal during this mode of operation (e.g., standard temperature days on ground) would otherwise require a VCM operation or the installation of a conventional compact heat exchanger into the RAM-air line. A VCM condenser 40 (see FIG. 5) could be inactive (i.e., VCM compressor 41 is turned off) or active in a lower capacity mode. The ground cooling fan 32 may be turned on, and the variable area NACA air inlet controlled door 30-3 a may be fully open, based on outside air temperature, aircraft velocity and/or weight on wheels. The use of the embedded finned SHX 30 can be advantageous over a conventional compact heat exchanger because it is simpler, easier to install and maintain, and causes less pressure drop on the RAM-air circuit 20. At flight conditions, it is possible that the ground cooling fan 32 becomes a ram air flow restriction. When sufficient ram air pressure is available in-flight, the fan windmills. However, the RAM-air circuit 20 presents means to diminish the flow restriction of the ground cooling fan 32 at flight operation, not shown in FIGS. (e.g.: installation of a fan bypass check valve that opens at flight).

Accompanying FIGS. 4A and 4B depict side and top plan views, respectively, of a RAM-air duct embedded, finned SHX 30 that may be used in the subsystem 14 shown in FIG. 3. The finned SHX 30-1 is preferably installed on the RAM air duct wall 30-2, with the fins (a few of which are identified in FIG. 4B as reference numeral 30-1 a) oriented facing the internal side of the duct wall 30-2 and oriented along the longitudinal direction thereof (i.e., in the same direction as the RAM air flow (arrow A1). The SHX 30-1 may act as a condenser for the LHP. Alternatively, the SHX 30-1 may be provided without fins if they are not deemed to be necessary. Ambient air, moved by the ground cooling fan 32, intakes through the NACA duct RAM-air intake 30-3, passes through the surface of the fins 30-1 a (plain/strip/louvered fins or other variations) associated with the SHX 30-1 and is discharged (arrow A2) from the RAM-air line through the outlet 30-4 so as to be directed to the VCM condenser 40 associated with the subsystem 16.

Accompanying FIG. 5 shows an operational mode of subsystem 16 when outside air is not cold enough to operate the system 10 under the configurations described and shown by the subsystems 12 and 14 depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the subsystem 16 of FIG. 5, however, the use of RAM-air to cool the VCM condenser 40 downstream of the VCM compressor 41 is not necessary, since the SHX condenser 42 of the VCM would have sufficient airflow for heat removal by outside air convection. A two-way controlled valve 44 selects operation of the SHX condenser 42 of the VCM via line 46 or selects a bypass line 48 (see also FIG. 1). As shown by the X's in FIG. 5, the ground cooling fan 32 is turned off, and the NACA inlet controlled door 30-3 a is fully closed in response to a signal output of control logic based on outside air temperature, aircraft velocity and weight on wheels issued by the on-board controller OBC (see FIG. 1). No drag due to RAM-air is thus imposed on the aircraft in such a configuration since the NACA inlet door 30-3 a is fully closed. The VCM subsystem 16 needs to be operated, because the temperature difference between the equipment and the outside air (the heat sink) is low or even negative (equipment desired temperature is lower than heat sink outside air temperature). The SHX condenser 42 of the VCM subsystem 16 dissipates both the thermal load from the equipment (e.g., the LCP condenser/VCM evaporator 43) and the energy put into the system by the VCM compressor 41. For this reason the skin temperature of the SHX 42 is higher than the temperature of the SHX 28 as described in FIG. 2. As such, the SHX 42 requires less surface area than the SHX 28. The cooled working fluid may then be returned to the LHP evaporator 26 via lines 56 a and 52 a.

Accompanying FIG. 6 depicts an operational mode for the hottest days, on ground or flying at low altitudes in relatively warm outside air. The VCM subsystem 16 needs to be turned on using either the RAM-air circuit 20, for in-flight conditions, or the ground cooling fan 32, for on ground operation. In such a condition, the two-way valve 44 is commanded by the on-board controller OCB to bypass the SHX condenser 42 of the VCM subsystem (i.e., via line 48 as shown also FIG. 1). The ground cooling fan 32 may then be turned on, and the control door 30-3 a of the NACA inlet 30-3 may be fully opened, based on outside air temperature, aircraft velocity and weight on wheels as commanded by the on-board controller OCB.

The heat removed from the compartment/enclosure, by air or other cooling medium, or even using a cold plate or similar device, is drawn through the LHP evaporator 26. Inside the LHP 26, the working fluid is evaporated, by absorbing the heat from the equipment. The vaporized working fluid then flows towards the system control valve CV via line 50. The on-board controller OCB can thus command the control valve CV to assume one of three different conditions so that the vaporized working fluid can then be directed in the following respective three different routes:

-   -   1. For cold days, on ground or in-flight (see explanation of         FIG. 2), the vaporized working fluid is directed to the LHP         condenser SHX 28 via line 52 so that the heat may be dissipated         to the outside cold air by convection. The cooled working fluid         is then returned to the LHP evaporator 26 via line 52 a. This         SHX 28 can be either an outside face plain SHX or a finned SHX         as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. This configuration does not consume         any energy to operate (except energy for air movement inside the         compartment/enclosure 24, that would always be present), since         the LHP condenser is a passive device.     -   2. If operating when outside air is at sufficiently low         temperatures (ranging from cold to standard days), on ground,         another configuration needs to be used, since the lack of         induced airflow over the LHP condenser SHX 28 will not allow it         to be used. In this case the configuration described above in         relation to FIG. 3 is used. For this purpose, the control valve         CV drives the LHP working fluid in line 50 towards the RAM-air         duct embedded finned SHX 30 via line 54. The cooled working         fluid is then returned to the LHP evaporator 26 via line 54 a         and 52 a. The heat removal from this embedded finned SHX 30         depends upon the airflow provided by the ground cooling fan 32         inside the RAM-air duct 32 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B). During this         mode of operation the VCM compressor 41 is turned off by the         controller OBC. The controller OBC also turns the ground cooling         fan 32 on, and fully opens the control door 30-3 a associated         with the variable area NACA air inlet 30-3, based on outside air         temperature, aircraft velocity and weight on wheels. The energy         consumption during this mode of operation is therefore         attributed only to the operation of the ground cooling fan 32.     -   3. The control valve CV may be commanded to direct the LHP         working fluid in line 50 towards the LHP condenser/VCM         evaporator 43 via line 56 under the following conditions:     -   a. For hot days, with aircraft flying at low altitudes, the         outside air may not be cold enough to operate the system 10         under the configurations of the subsystems 12 and 14 as         described in relation to FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. As a         result, the VCM subsystem 16 is then required to be operated         because the temperature difference between the equipment 22         within the enclosure 24 and the outside air (the heat sink) is         low or even negative (e.g., equipment desired temperature lower         than the available heat sink outside air temperature). However,         the use of RAM-air to cool the VCM condenser 40 is not         necessary, since the SHX condenser 42 of the VCM subsystem 16         would have sufficient heat removal capacity provided by external         air convection (see FIG. 5). The on-board controller OBC thus         turns off the ground cooling fan 32, and fully closes the inlet         control door 30-3 a of the NACA inlet 30-3 following a control         logic based on outside air temperature, aircraft velocity and         weight on wheels; or     -   b. For the hottest days, the outside air is not cold enough for         the heat to be dissipated through the SHX condenser 42 of the         VCM subsystem 16 for on ground aircraft operation, and for         in-flight operation at low altitudes (e.g., with warm outside         air temperatures). Under such conditions, the on-board         controller OCB operates the control valve 44 so as to bypass the         SHX condenser 42 of the VCM subsystem 16 and the VCM condenser         40 uses either RAM-air, for in-flight operation via the RAM-air         subsystem 20, or the ground cooling fan 32 of the RAM-air         subsystem 20, for on ground operation. For on ground operation         the ground cooling fan 32 is turned on, and the NACA inlet         controlled door 30-3 a is fully open. For in-flight operation,         the ground cooling fan 32 is turned off and the NACA inlet 30-3         and its associated RAM-air provides outside air to cool the VCM         condenser 40.

Table 1 below presents a summary of the operational modes discussed above.

TABLE 1 Predicted modes of operation as a function of: ambient temperature, on ground versus in-flight operation and high altitude versus low altitude Flight Ground Low altitude High altitude Cold LHP using SHX LHP using SHX LHP using SHX day as a condenser; as a condenser; as a condenser; zero consumption zero consumption zero consumption (FIG. 2) (FIG. 2) (FIG. 2) Standard LHP using inter- LHP using inter- day nally embedded nally embedded SHX into a duct, SHX into a duct, cooled by a cooled by a ground cooling fan; ground cooling fan; consumption of a consumption of a ground cooling fan ground cooling fan (FIG. 3) (FIG. 3) Hot LHP using VCM, LHP using VCM, day with VCM with VCM condenser being condenser being cooled by the cooled by the ground cooling SHX condenser of fan; consumption the VCM; of both the consumption of the VCM compressor VCM compressor and ground cooling (FIG. 5) Very fan (FIG. 6) LHP using VCM, hot with VCM day condenser being cooled by NACA/ RAM-air; consumption of the VCM compressor (FIG. 6)

Other embodiments based on the system architectures described above are shown by FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. As shown in FIG. 7, for example, the system 70 is similar to the system 10 described previously in connection with FIG. 1, but omits the line 54, the internal embedded finned SHX 30 and cooling fan 32 associated with the RAM-air circuit 20. Thus, in the embodiment of FIG. 7, the control valve CV is provided so as to direct the working fluid in line 50 to either the LHP condenser 43 or the LHP condenser SHX 28.

The system 80 shown in FIG. 8 is similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 but omits the LHP condenser SHX 28 and the VCM condenser SHX 42. As such, the control valve CV and the bypass valve 44 are unneeded in the FIG. 8 embodiment.

The system 90 shown in FIG. 9 is similar to the system depicted in FIG. 1, but omits the subsystem 14 as described above in relation to FIG. 3. That is, the system 90 of FIG. 9 does not include the internal embedded finned SHX 30 or the line 54. Consequently the control valve CV in the system 90 need only direct the working heat-exchange fluid in the LHP subsystem 12 to either the LHP condenser 43 or the LHP condenser SHX 28. The VCM subsystem of system 90 includes a VCM condenser heat exchanger that operates in heat-exchange relationship with an on-board fluid subsystem 20-1 (such as on-board fuel and/or cabin air) downstream of a VCM condenser 40 that operates in heat-exchange relationship with the ram air circuit 20. A two-way controlled valve 44 selects operation of the VCM condenser 42 via line 46 (see FIG. 9) or selects a bypass line 48 (see also FIG. 9).

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An environmental control system for controlling environmental temperature of an enclosed space comprising: a passive phase change heat exchange subsystem having a closed loop heat exchange fluid circuit in heat-exchange relationship with the enclosed space for providing environmental temperature control therewithin; a second RAM-air subsystem having an air circuit for circulation of cooling air; and a third vapor closed loop compression cycle machine (VCM) subsystem having a VCM fluid circuit comprising a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser and an expansion valve, wherein the evaporator of the VCM subsystem is in operative heat-exchange relationship with the heat exchange fluid circuit of the passive heat exchange subsystem, and wherein the condenser of the VCM subsystem is in operative heat-exchange relationship with the air circuit of the RAM-air subsystem.
 2. The environmental control system of claim 1, wherein the passive heat exchange subsystem comprises a primary condenser in operative heat-exchange relationship with the VCM evaporator of the VCM subsystem.
 3. The environmental control system of claim 2, wherein the passive heat exchange subsystem comprises a secondary skin heat exchange (SHX) condenser, and a control valve for directing the working fluid to either the primary condenser or the secondary SHX condenser.
 4. The environmental control system of claim 2, wherein the air circuit of the RAM-air subsystem includes an air duct having an inlet and an inlet control door for controlling air flow into the duct, and a cooling fan for drawing air into the inlet and through the duct.
 5. The environmental control system of claim 4, wherein the RAM-air subsystem comprises an embedded skin heat exchange (SHX) in operative heat-exchange relationship with the air flow in the duct.
 6. The environmental control system of claim 5, wherein the passive heat exchange subsystem comprises a primary condenser in operative heat-exchange relationship with the VCM evaporator of the VCM subsystem, and a skin heat exchange (SHX) condenser, and wherein the system further comprises a control valve for directing the working fluid to either the primary condenser of the passive heat exchange subsystem, the secondary SHX condenser of the passive heat exchange subsystem or the embedded skin heat exchanger SHX of the RAM-air subsystem.
 7. The environmental control system of claim 1, wherein the VCM subsystem further includes a VCM skin heat exchange (SHX) condenser downstream of the VCM condenser.
 8. The environmental control system of claim 7, wherein the VCM SHX condenser is in operative heat exchange relationship with an on-board fluid.
 9. The environmental control system of claim 8, wherein the on-board fluid is on-board fuel or cabin air.
 10. The environmental control system of claim 7, wherein the VCM subsystem includes a bypass valve to direct the VCM fluid circuit to or bypass the VCM fluid circuit around the VCM condenser SHX.
 11. An aircraft which comprises an environmental control system according to any one of claims 1-10.
 12. A method for controlling environmental temperature of an enclosed space comprising: (a) controlling the environmental temperature within the enclosed space by circulating a working heat exchange fluid within a passive heat exchange subsystem having a closed loop heat exchange fluid circuit in heat-exchange relationship with the enclosed space; and (b) integrating heat-exchange of the working fluid of the passive heat exchange subsystem with (1) an air circuit of a RAM-air subsystem and (2) a vapor compression machine (VCM) fluid circuit of a VCM subsystem by: (i) establishing a heat-exchange relationship between the working heat exchange fluid circuit of the passive heat exchange subsystem and an evaporator of the VCM subsystem; and (ii) establishing a heat-exchange relationship between the air circuit of the RAM-air subsystem and a condenser of the VCM subsystem.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein step (b)(i) comprises providing the passive heat exchange subsystem with a primary condenser and establishing a heat-exchange relationship between the primary condenser and the VCM evaporator of the VCM subsystem.
 14. The method of claim 13, which further comprises providing the passive heat exchange subsystem with a secondary skin heat exchange (SHX) condenser, and controllably directing the working heat exchange fluid to either the primary condenser or the secondary SHX condenser.
 15. The method of claim 14, which further comprises providing the air circuit with an air duct having an inlet and an inlet control door for controlling air flow into the duct, and a cooling fan for drawing air into the inlet and through the duct.
 16. The method of claim 15, which further comprises providing the Ram-air subsystem with an embedded skin heat exchanger (SHX) device and establishing an operative heat-exchange relationship between the embedded SHX device and air flow in the duct.
 17. The method of claim 16, which further comprises controllably directing the working heat exchange fluid in the passive heat exchange subsystem to either the primary condenser of the passive heat exchange subsystem, the secondary SHX condenser of the passive heat exchange subsystem or the embedded SHX device of the RAM-air subsystem.
 18. The method of claim 12, which further comprises providing the VCM subsystem with a VCM skin heat exchanger (SHX) condenser downstream of a VCM condenser.
 19. The method of claim 18, which further comprises establishing a heat-exchange relationship between the VCM SHX condenser and an on-board fluid.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the on-board fluid is on-board fuel or cabin air.
 21. The method of claim 18, which further comprises allowing the VCM fluid circuit to bypass the VCM SHX condenser in response to a predetermined environmental condition.
 22. The method of claim 18, which further comprises utilizing heat released from the VCM condenser SHX as ice and rain protection of an external surface which contains the SHX.
 23. The method of claim 17, which further comprises utilizing heat released from the secondary SHX condenser of the passive heat exchange subsystem as ice and rain protection of an external surface which contains the SHX. 